Flashing danger light for vehicles



July 20, 195 R. P. TREMPE FLASHING DANGER LIGHT FOR VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18, 1950 INVENTOR. fiob emz I? Trempa BY @951} mgunng ATTORNEY July 20, 1954 R. P. TREMPE 2,684,476

FLASHING DANGER LIGHT FOR VEHICLES Filed Nov. 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTWO EY Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STAEES j rtl'ENT FFlCE FLASHING DANGER LIGHT FOR VEHICLES Robert P. Trempc, St. Paul, Minn.

Application November 18, 1950, Serial No. 196,368

6 Claims. (01. 340-366) The present invention relates to an improvemerit in danger light and deals particularly with a signal light useful in conjunction with vehicles to provide a signal that the vehicle is stalled on 2 A feature of the modified for: l of the invention resides in the provision of a standard which may be inserted into the ground and which serves as a support for the wire. he wire may quickly or along side of the highway. 5 unreeled from the standard and attached to the W n a truck stops up n a hi hw y, the driver source of light, thereby quickly providing a danis required to maintain signal lights both behind ger signal on the highway. and in front of the vehicle to provide a warning These and other objects and novel features signal. In .iany instances the signal comprises of my invention will be more clearly and fully a here which burns for a fixed length of time. set forth in the following specification and Such a signal requires attention from time to time claims. as a new fiare must be ignited when the old one In the drawings forming a part of my speciburns out. This prevents the drive' from giving fication: full attention to making repairs or accomplishing Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred the task requiring the stopping of the vehicle. form of construction showing the danger light Thus a signal light which remains in operation and necessary elements mounted in a suitable throughout the entire length of time the vehicle enclosure. is stopped, without further attention is of 0011- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the enclos siderable advantage. ing case in closed position.

An object of the present invention lies in the Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring provision of a simple and effective device which. of the apparatus illustrated. may be attached to the current supply of the Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified vehicle and which may be used to provide a danform of construction of the invention. ger signal. This device is preferably enclosed Figure 5 is an elevation view showing the upper when not in use and when opened forms a signal portion of the structure illustrated in Figure 4.

light Which may be seen from a substantial distance.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a signal which may be plugged into the opening normally provided for a cigarette The danger signal is preierably mounted in an enclosing casing, the entire apparatus indicated by the letter A. The enclosing casing is indicates in general by the numeral It and includes a front wall panel H, a parallel rear lighter on the vehicle. By merely removing the wall panel i2 and end wall panels 13 and it. The cigarette lighter and plugging in a suitable plug, side and end wall panels are connected by a suitthe signal light may be quickly ready for opable bottom panel l5. eration. A cover it is connected by hinges i "i to the rear A further feature of the present invention lies wall panel 12. The hinges i? are recessed downin the provision of a signal which flashes so as wardly from the upper edge of the panel l2 and to provide an intermittent flashing signal. This are connected to the lower extremity of the cover type of signal has been often used as a warning IS. The cover includes a top panel it, front and signal and is therefore particularly useful in the rear marginal depending flanges 2t and El, and present combination. marginal depending end flanges 25: and 23. The An added feature of the preferred form of the side and end flanges are connected to provide an invention lies in the fact that the wiring and the encircling skirt about the periphery of the top terminal connections are completely enclosed in panel Hi. This skirt telescopes onto the upper a casing when not in use. The casing forms a end of the bottom portion of the enclosure in standard for the signal when the signal is in closed position. of the casing as illustrated in use. Thus the device may be conveniently stored when not in use.

An added feature of the present invention lies in the fact that a trouble light may be used in It is often Figure 2.

A pair of brackets 24 and 25 are supported upon the top panel i9. rhese brackets are similarly formed and include a mounting flange 26.

c l'll ct n W h the al htan off-set 2i and a bracket flange parallel to desirable to illuminate parts of the vehicle durthe mountin flange 26. The mounting flanges ing repair thereof. A. trouble light is thus pro- 25 are connected to the cover panel by bolts 38 vided which may be used simultaneously with a or other suitable means.

signal light and which may provide the necessary The warning lights are completely enclosed illumination for making repairs at night. 5 units and include a cup shaped base portion 3| attached to a corresponding bracket flange 29. The warning lights include a cup shaped transparent or translucent enclosure 32 removably attached to the base ill and enclosing the light bulbs 33. Thus the light bulbs are completely enclosed and protected from the weather so that the signal may be used in any kind of weather.

An angle bracket 3 3 is supported upon the rear wall of the enclosure l2 midway between the ends thereof. This bracket 34 is designed to extend substantially between the brackets is and 25 so as not to interfere with the light bulb enclosures in folded condition of the enclosure. This bracket 34 supports a flasher 35 which changes the current from a steady current to an intermittent or pulsating current.

Switches 35 and 3! are supported on the end panel M for controlling the circuits. One switch 36 controls the circuit to the flasher 35, which in turn illuminates the light bulbs 33 and the other switch it! controls a circuit which will be later described to a trouble light 39.

The current for illuminating the light bulbs 33 and the trouble light 3% is provided through a plug til which is of proper size for accommodation into the socket usually containing the cigarette lighter of the vehicle. Other types of connection with the vehicle battery may be obtained but the plug as is somewhat more convenient to use. An angle bracket Al is connected to the outer surface of the top panel IQ of the cover It and this angle bracket ii is pivotally connected at A2 to a leg 13. In closed condition of the device the leg d3 swings against the cover l9 as indicated in Figure 2. When the device is in use as in Figure l of the drawings, the le is is swung at right angles to the cover panel I9 to provide a support for the cover.

As indicated in Figure the plug at which is connected to the vehicle battery through the cigarette lighter socket, is connected by conductor M to one terminal of each of the switches 35 and 37. The other terminal of switch 36 is connected by conductor 5 to one terminal of the flasher 35, the other terminal of which is connected by conductor ii: to one container of each of the light bulbs 33. The other contact of these light bulbs is connected by a common connection 41 to a conductor 29 which leads to the other terminal of socket ts, thus completing the circuit.

The circuit to the trouble lig t extends from conductor ts through switch contact 3? to the conductor 58 leading to the trouble light. The other trouble light conductor is connected to the conductor 42 leading to the socket do to complete the circuit.

Whe not in use the cover it is folded into the position shown in Figure 2 and all of the conductors leading to the socket to and to the trouble light as well as these elements themselves, are contained within the enclosure Ill. When the vehicle is forced to stop on the highway, the cover is swung open into the position shown in Figure l and the leg is swung into right'angular relation to the cover. The plug it is pulled from the container and is inserted into the receptacle on the vehicle dash board. By operating the switch 3? the lights 33 may be innaediately set into operation to provide flashing signal. Thus the vehicle operator may employ the flashing signal as a warning signal even when walking toward the rear of the vehicle to place the light into signalling operation.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, I disclose a modified form of signal indicated in general by the letter B. This signal includes an elongated standard 52 provided with a spike or pointed projection 53 at its lower end. The standard 52 is provided with a pair of similar brackets 53 and 5 arranged in opposed relationship. The brackets each include an anchoring portion 55, a right angular off-set 55 and a parallel portion 5? which extends parallel to the anchoring portion 55. The anchoring portion is fastened by screws, bolts, or other means 59 to the standard An angle bracket 89 is similarly attached to the standard 52 by a screw or bolt 6! and is attached to a flasher 63 so as to hold the flasher near the upper end of the standard 52. A right angular bracket E l is also mounted upon the standard 52 at the upper end thereof. The angle bracket i2 3 includes an upright flange {it attached to the upper end of the standard by screws, bolts, or other means and includes a mounting flange til extending at right angles across the upper end of the standard.

The signal lights include a cup shaped lower portion as which is attached to the attaching flange 6'? to project upwardly therefrom. The lights are also provided with an inverted cupshaped translucent or transparent upper portion it in which a signal light is positioned. The signal light within the member it is connected by suitable electrical conductors to the flasher 63 and to a suitable source of power supply through the cable ll. When not in use the cable l l is wound about the opposed brackets and The cable ii is usually provided with a plug such as All engageable into the cigarette lighter socket on the dash board of the vehicle.

When this structure is to be used the cable is partially unwound from the brackets to and and the light bulb within the light enclosure immediately starts into flashing operation. The device is then carried to the rear of the vehicle and stuck into the shoulder of the highway or into the highway itself to provide a flashing signal rearwardly of the vehicle.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my danger light while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A vehicle danger signal including a box-like enclosure having a bottom, completely opaque side walls exten in upwardly therefrom, and a hinged cover hingediy secured to one or said side walls near the upper edge thereof, a pair of signal lights secured to the inner surface of said cover, said cover being swingable from a position in closing relation with said walls through substantially one hundred eighty degrees to an open position, said cover having encircling flanges, means supporting said lights above said flange and above said side walls when said cover is open, a flasher within said enclosure, and an elongated current supply cord. secured to said lights and to said flasher and supported in enclosure in closed positio thereof.

2. The structure described in claim 1 and includin a switch mounted on a wall of the enclosure and connected in series with said lights.

3. The structure described in claim 1 and including a leg on said cover extending downwardly therefrom in open position of the cover.

4. The structure described in claim 1 and ineluding a leg pivotally secured to said cover to assist in supporting the same in open position of the cover.

5. The structure described in claim 1 and including a. trouble light, and means connecting said trouble light to said current supply cord.

6. The structure described in claim 1 and including a trouble light having an elongated cord thereupon and designed for accommodation in said enclosure in closed position thereof, and a switch on said enclosure for controlling the circuit to said trouble light.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Parenteau June 17, 1902 Godfrey et a1. May 7, 1940 Du Frane Dec. 13, 1949 COX et a1. Feb. 7, 1950 Le Duc Aug. 1, 1950 Berry Nov. 7, 1950 Clines May 20, 1952 

